1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sporting sticks and more particularly relates to sporting sticks configured to impact a sporting implement.
2. The Related Art
Hockey is a fast moving, competitive game. Hockey players use hockey sticks to control the puck or ball during the game. Players also use the sticks to shoot the puck during the game, as well as to knock the puck away from opposing players.
Hockey sticks generally include a handle portion and a blade portion. The handle portion is generally elongate and is specially configured to be held by the player during the game of hockey. The blade portion extends from a distal end of the handle portion and is shaped to allow a player to control and shoot the hockey puck with the blade.
In some embodiments, the hockey stick blade comprises a foam core that is surrounded by a hard outer layer. Often, the outer layer includes a composite material such as fiberglass or carbon fiber.
While playing hockey, a player often controls and shoots the puck with the blade. One particular type of shot is a “slap shot,” which is an extreme shot in which a player hits the puck with great force. A slap shot is the fastest of all hockey shots. Dury a slap shot, a player makes a sweeping motion with an accentuated backswing to shoot the puck. Another category of extreme shot is the “one-timer,” in which a player shoots a puck (usually from a teammate's pass) without taking the time to stop and control the puck. Usually, a one-timer is in the form of a slap shot. Slap shots and other one-timers typically impart high energy and speed into the puck, and thus the impact between the puck and the blade during one-timers can result in high forces in a “strike zone” of the blade where the puck and blade meet. During this contact, the composite outer layer of the blade may deform somewhat. However, the outer layer is supported by the foam core, and thus the impact force and corresponding deformation is distributed. In a typical foam-core hockey stick blade, the foam tends to breakdown after repeated impacts due to slap shots and other extreme shots. Such foam breakdown creates a void behind the composite layer in the strike zone. Because of this void, the composite layer is no longer supported by foam. Depending on the amount of force and repetition of extreme shots, the unsupported composite layer will break down and the blade will fail. Such blade failure is especially prevalent in very light, high performance hockey sticks.